You're going to find this difficult to believe, but shy, introverted Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley talked some trash in the media.

His target was Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. Woodley was asked if Flacco could lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl win, and here was Woodley's response:

"No, not at all because they have to go through one team -- that's the Pittsburgh Steelers in that AFC championship. So in order for them to get to the Super Bowl, they have to beat us, and we're not gonna let that happen once we get that close. So that's not gonna happen in this lifetime."

Flacco responded on WBAL in Baltimore. Also, it helps if you pretend all of these things are being said into a microphone being held by Mean Gene Okerlund.

"At some level I don't care [what Woodley says] because what does that really mean? But there is another level where it does kind of piss you off a little bit."

"We just need to come up a little bigger than we have while playing those guys a couple of times," said Flacco. "I mean, come on. What does he think? That they're going to do it every year?"

Actually, yes, Joe Flacco, that probably is exactly what LaMarr Woodley thinks. Were you expecting him to pause, stroke his chin, and quote Voltaire? Supreme confidence, rational or otherwise, is rampant among successful NFL defensive players. It might even be considered a virtue for the position.

None of this is anything more than off-season time wasting, of course. The entire Steelers defensive line could take out an ad in the Baltimore Sun tomorrow pledging unending violence against anyone who has ever worn the color purple, and it's not going to make Steelers vs. Ravens games any more intense. The intensity, dislike and physicality are going to be dialed up to 11 any time these two teams play, regardless of what anyone says or doesn't say beforehand.

Hi Guys - been a while since I posted, but weren't the Ravens losses to us in those playoff games pretty much directly due to Flacco messing up? I remember Troy eating him up, and then Flacco was so rattled he couldn't hit a wide open guy to move the chains on 4th down to end the game. I'm kind of thinking he also kind of stunk it up for another of their playoff losses to us.

So yeah, he got his feelings hurt - on the football field! :loser :ratsuck

steeler_fan_in_t.o.

06-21-2011, 10:55 PM

This is such a stupid non-issue it is not even funny. Did you see Wood on NFLN?

Wood was asked if Flacco can lead the Ravens to a SB in his opinion. He said something to the effect of "no, because they would have to beat us to do so and we will not let that happen". It was more of a "Steelers > Ravens because I'm a Steelers player and would never concede that the Ravens will beat us" kind of thing, not a "Flacco is not good enough" thing.

In other words, there has been no shortage of offseason jabs at Flacco, who has become the biggest punching bag in the AFC North during the NFL lockout. The list of detractors questioning Flacco's ability to take the Ravens to the next level appears to be growing every month.

But there is hope for the talented, fourth-year quarterback. Flacco, 26, is still young and entering his prime. So now is the time to put all of those concerns to rest.

With that in mind, here are five ways Flacco can silence his many critics in 2011:

No. 1: Flacco must beat Pittsburgh and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Analysis: There are no more excuses. Flacco has to beat his biggest rival in a big game. Flacco has two career wins against Pittsburgh but both come with an asterisk. Roethlisberger missed those games due to a concussion in 2009 and a suspension at the beginning of the 2010 season. Flacco is 0-6 in his career against the Steelers with Roethlisberger under center, which includes an 0-2 record in the playoffs. The good news is Flacco doesn't have to wait long for another shot. The Ravens host the Steelers in Week 1, and Woodley has already upped the ante for Flacco, who must perform well. A big win against Pittsburgh early could set the tone for the Ravens, who need to move on from last year's heartbreaking playoff defeat. It also would lift a huge burden off Flacco and could begin to change his reputation as a quarterback who struggles in big games.

No. 2: Flacco must perform well in the playoffs

Analysis: Advancing to the AFC title game as a rookie was one of the best and worst things to happen to Flacco. He did something few rookie quarterbacks have accomplished. But it also raised the bar much higher for Flacco than it is for your typical young quarterbacks. Flacco is 4-3 in the playoffs but played well in only one of those seven games. Other than Baltimore's wild-card victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last January, the Ravens have carried Flacco in the postseason. In Flacco's four playoff wins, Baltimore's defense held opponents to just 10 points per game, while Flacco did enough to manage the offense. If Flacco wants to become a great quarterback, that needs to change. The Ravens' defense cannot pitch a near-perfect game every time in the postseason (see recent playoff losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Steelers). There will be times Flacco has to carry the team with his arm in a big game. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers last season was a perfect example of how a hot quarterback makes a world of difference in the postseason.

No. 3: Thrive against the AFC North

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0706/nfl_a_flacco_ps_200.jpg

LaMarr Woodley said Joe Flacco will never win a Super Bowl.

Analysis: There is a reason Woodley and Jones were blunt in their criticism of Flacco. Based on what happened on the field in recent seasons, they both have the right to speak on Flacco's struggles. The Steelers and Bengals have been two of Flacco's biggest nemeses early in his career. Flacco is a combined 5-9 against his two AFC North rivals and has thrown 11 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 14 career games. Regardless of whether you believe Jones and Woodley should have made their comments public, the numbers back up their claims. Flacco has to play these teams at least four times per year and needs to perform better against AFC North competition.

No. 4: Bring back the deep ball

Analysis: Some teams have figured out how to defend Flacco and the Ravens' offense, because Baltimore hasn't thrown the deep ball much the past couple of seasons. Derrick Mason and Anquan Boldin are both possession receivers, and when they're not open, Flacco often checks down to running back Ray Rice. The offensive pattern has become predictable and drawn the ire of media and fans in Baltimore. Despite a lot of talent, the Ravens finished a disappointing 22nd in total offense last season. Flacco has one of the prettiest deep balls in the league, and it will be up to offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to find more ways to play to Flacco's strengths. The Ravens have lacked a deep threat in the past but hope rookie second-round pick Torrey Smith brings the speed they've been looking for to keep defenses honest. Including playoffs, Flacco only had one 300-yard passing game all last season, and it came against the 2-14 Carolina Panthers.

No. 5: Win a Super Bowl

Analysis: Winning a Super Bowl is the great equalizer. Baltimore's roster is stacked, which is why there is so much pressure and Super Bowl talk surrounding Flacco. Quarterbacks always get most of the credit for the team's success or most of the blame for its failure. So Flacco could silence everyone -- Woodley, Dhani Jones, media and fans -- by finally winning the big game. Even getting the Ravens to the Super Bowl would do wonders for Flacco's reputation.

If Flacco follows these five not-so-easy steps, he will have a much quieter offseason in 2012. Can Flacco accomplish some, or all, of these goals this upcoming season?